Friday, November 24, 2017

Teaming Up Together With God



This morning I was finishing reading the book of Exodus in my time in God’s Word. I read about the building of the Tabernacle under Moses’ leadership. It made me think of the building we are doing with our current renovations at our church building but MUCH MORE the constant building we are doing in pursuing the call and purpose of God on our church to lead people in Moose Jaw and the surrounding communities to know, love and serve Jesus. God is building His Kingdom and inviting us to partner with Him in it.



There are some great parallels to this in Exodus chapters 35-40. In Ex. 35:10 Moses says, “Come, all of you who are gifted craftsmen. Construct everything the Lord has commanded.” In place of the word “craftsmen,” we could add each and every gift God has given each of us. “Come, all of you who are gifted musicians, encouragers, organizers, innovators, teachers, caregivers, greeters, baristas, pray-ers (intercessors), cooks, helpers, leaders, givers, worshippers, supporters…” and the list could go on and on. What a great picture of our church! Teaming up together to accomplish all God has for us to do here in our community and then around the world.



Ex. 35:21 says, “All whose hearts were stirred and spirits were moved brought their sacred offerings to the Lord. They brought all the materials needed for the Tabernacle…Both men and women came, all whose hearts were willing…” Every day I get to see willing hearts come together in various ways and serve the Lord. Thank you for letting God stir your heart and move in your spirit to bring your talents and gifts together to serve the Lord. This happens in thousands of small and big ways both on Sunday’s and throughout the week and God uses it to actually supernaturally change lives! Isn’t it cool that God puts His “super” into our “natural” when we offer it to Him? Just this week I had a young man in my office excitedly telling me how great it is that his friend got saved in our church a few weeks ago and he is seeing her life changed leaps and bounds every week since. Praise God!



Ex. 36:4-5 says, “Finally the craftsmen who were working on the sanctuary left their work. They went to Moses and reported, “The people have given more than enough to complete the job the Lord has commanded us to do!” What a cool thing to happen. The point is simply that when God’s people give what we have to Him willingly as He moves us, He supernaturally multiplies it and there is enough to do what He calls us to and then there more than enough left over. Just like the boy who ended up feeding over five thousand people with only one lunch because he offered it to Jesus (Mat. 14:13-21). At the end of this section of scripture (in chapter 40:34-38), when the Tabernacle is built, the presence of God came and filled it and the people of Israel had the Lord with them to guide and walk with them on their journeys.  May that be true of us as we pursue Him and His purposes together. Let’s be praying that this Sunday, He fills our lives and church afresh with His presence as we gather and we will see more and more lives (ourselves included) led to know, love and serve Jesus in increasing ways.



To God be the glory.